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| (From left to right) Pakistan's Salman Ali Agha, Afghanistan's Rashid Khan, and India's Suryakumar Yadav gesture during captains' press conference ahead of ACC Men's T20 Asia Cup 2025, Dubai International Stadium, Dubai, September 9, 2025. — Facebook/@PakistanCricketBoard |
Pakistan's Salman Ali Agha, Afghanistan's Rashid Khan, and India's Suryakumar Yadav gesture during captains' press conference ahead of ACC Men's T20 Asia Cup 2025, Dubai International Stadium, Dubai, September 9, 2025. — Facebook/@PakistanCricketBoardDUBAI: Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha...
DUBAI: Pakistan skipper Salman Ali Agha has said his side is fully prepared to face any aggression on the field as they gear up for their high-stakes meeting with India in the Men’s T20 Asia Cup 2025.
The much-anticipated clash will be the first cricket encounter between the two nations since their four-day military confrontation in May, adding extra intensity to an already historic rivalry.
At a pre-tournament press conference, Agha made it clear that no special instructions had been issued to curb players’ natural aggression. He stressed that passion is part of the game and the team’s focus remains firmly on performance.
“You don’t need to say anything to any player because every individual is different,” Agha explained. “Our focus is on our game and performance. If any team or player shows aggression, we are ready. Fast bowlers are expected to channel intensity, which is part of the match.”
He added that Pakistan’s objective is simple — to give 100% in every match. The team’s confidence has been boosted by their recent tri-series win, and Agha believes the squad is fully prepared to make a strong impact in the Asia Cup.
On the other side, Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav echoed similar sentiments. Speaking at the captains’ media interaction, he noted that aggression is a natural part of cricket and should be embraced rather than restrained.
“Aggression is always there when we take the field,” Suryakumar said with a smile. “Without some degree of aggression, you can’t really play this sport. I’m really excited to take the field.”
While India haven’t played a T20 International since their home series against England in February, Yadav dismissed concerns about lack of match practice.
“If your preparations are great, then you take the field with confidence,” he said. “Yes, we are playing after quite a while, but we arrived three-four days ago and had a good time training together. We’re really looking forward to this tournament.”
With Pakistan and India both eyeing regional dominance, the stage is set for an electrifying Asia Cup, where the biggest names in Asian cricket will battle it out for supremacy.